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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

How Approximate is Approximate?

I measure all of my clothing that I sell. I describe, over describe, actually and then this comes back to bite me

I think I remember hearing on Scavenger Life to describe like you have no pictures and take pictures like you have no written description. I have tried to live by that little tidbit of advice.

Sold these True Religion jeans back in early December.I did all of my measurements and took extra photos because I wanted the buyer to really know what they were getting. They sold in less than a month for full price. I was pleasantly surprised that they sold so quickly since they were flare legs and not skinny or boot cut.

The day after the buyer received them I got an ebay message stating that they were not as described. I listed the waist as measuring 16" and she stated that it actually measured 13.75". Well folks, that's an error of more than 2". Am I blind? Am I dyslexic and wrote or typed the wrong numbers? No...to both questions.

After several messages with question as to how she measured and detailing how I measured and stating that I would be "happy" to accept a return she opened the case for not as described and wanted to return. Hello, I already told her I would accept a return. Why open a case? Well she did and it earned me a defect.

When I got them back it was the day after Christmas and I put them on the back burner until the last week. Well, I was actually upset that I had the return stuffed down my throat because I knew I hadn't made such a large error. When I finally pulled them out and laid them out to measure, laying on the original table, the same tape measure and everything as near as possible to the first measurement, my measurement was 15.75". Not 13.75" as she had stated. And I always state in each and every listing that measurements are approximate. (A lesson I learned from a listing several years ago over the issue of less than a half inch in a piece of woven trim.)

Then I set out to duplicate the way she came up with 13.75". The only way I could do this was lay them out this way.And if you measure across the top of the back of the waistband you get between 13.5" and 14", depending on exactly how you stretch them out. This is not how she said she achieved her measurement. We both stated that we place the waistband, top edges together, and measure across with the waistband folded in half. I think that is how most sellers measure the waistband of pants.

So my question. How much error is allowed by ebay for an approximate measurement? Are you allowed to be off less than an inch, half inch or what is the basis for approximate?

6 comments:

Before I called eBay I would take a picture of the pants with a tape measure laid across them. Then send a picture to add to the case even though you are going to refund. The reason is that when you call eBay they will pull up the case as you are speaking. This way they can see exactly what you are talking about. As for the margin of error - that is shaky ground as far as I know. I always worry when I measure the low rise pants. Maybe we should take a picture for the listings with a tape measure laid out in view.

That sounds like a great idea. I had planned on taking a pic of the measurement the way I did it to get my measurement and the way she got her measurement. I have already refunded due to the deadline but I always dread calling ebay because I always get someone that barely speaks English and only repeats back to me what I just said. Really, that's not customer service.

Someone told me that if you call during "normal" business hours, during the week, you may get someone in the US. If you call on the weekend, you'll probably get someone from an outside the US service center.

I know the real reason for the lie on her end is that she didn't want to pay return shipping. If she had purchased True Religion before she would know what size she wears. So under ebay rules, because she doesn't like the jeans, I get to pay return shipping.

About Me

I grew up on a small farm in rural NC. I loved it and now I find myself trying to get back to those times. Waste not want not. I'm trying to get by with just my own wits. Slim pickings! I like to make what my family needs and if I can't make it then it's off to the thrift store to find what I need. I strongly believe in using what you have and using what other folks don't want. (Thanks Mom)